Visibility & transfer of knowledge

Making gender-related issues visible in the public and transferring related knowledge to the public are two of the core tasks in the field of equal opportunities. Therefore, the Gender Equality and Diversity unit gives talks, launches projects on the topic, some of which remain permanently visible and have a long-lasting effect.

Talks

Diversity and gender equality - of theory, laws and university routines

Diversity and gender equality - of theory, laws and university routines

This talk was given on January 15, 2019 at the Faculty of Catholic Theology and covered the following topics:

Current projects

Network meeting of Austrian universities on inter*/trans/non-binary in the context of universities

Not much attention has been paid to gender diversity at universities. With the decision of the Constitutional Court to introduce a third gender category in official registeries, the legal basis for people outside the binary was changed. That means that universities have to look even more at specific barriers and exclusion mechanisms inter*, trans and non-binary people have to face in the fields of education and science.

The Diversity at Austrian Universities Network has chosen the topic inter*/trans/non-binary in the context of universities for its third network meeting on April 1, 2019. Discussions included challenges and barriers, legal changes and a good practice example. The meeting was organised by the University of Vienna and addressed equal opportunity commissioners of Austrian universities.

Nuclear questions: thoughts on Lise Meitner

After completing her doctorate at the University of Vienna, Lise Meitner was the first woman to become a professor of Physics in Germany. The Portraittheater Vienna created a play to honor her, tracing moments of her life and work. The play is performed at several universities in Germany and Austria. On March 8th, it was shown for free at the University of Vienna (in German). Every seat at the performance was taken, making the show a literally full success.

Permanent projects

New information added to our audio guide

Biographies of 7 female academics

On the occasion of the 650th Anniversary, the University of Vienna honoured seven female academics in a ceremony in the Arcaded Courtyard with monuments designed by various artists: Charlotte Bühler, Marie Jahoda, Berta Karlik, Lise Meitner, Grete Mostny-Glaser, Elise Richter and Olga Taussky-Todd.

The "Endlich da! – Eine-sieben-Leben-Performance" (Finally here! – A-seven-lives-performance) by the portraittheater is now part of the audio guide of the University of Vienna and tells us about the extraordinary biographies of those seven women.

Monuments dedicated to female academics

In addition to Lise Meitner (photo), the University honoured Charlotte Bühler, Marie Jahoda, Berta Karlik, Grete Mostny-Glaser, Elise Richter and Olga Taussky-Todd with their own monuments.

Monuments dedicated to female academics

With 154 monuments and numerous plaques, the University of Vienna honours prominent figures in its Arcaded Courtyard. They, however, only include a single honorary plaque dedicated to a woman: Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach. The University of Vienna took the anniversary year 2015 as an occasion to change this. As a result, monuments dedicated to seven female academics were created – among them the first female professor of the University of Vienna: the physicist Berta Karlik.

Quiz on equal opportunities

An online quiz allows you to test your knowledge of women at the University of Vienna and equal opportunities.

Quiz on equal opportunities

On the occasion of the 15-year anniversary of the Gender Equality and Diversity unit in 2015, an online quiz (in German) that playfully tested your knowledge of the history of women at the University of Vienna and of equal opportunities was developed. Questions and answers can still be accessed.

Art project "The muse has had it"

"The Muse has had it" is a giant shadow silhouette of a woman that lies diagonally on part of the courtyard, standing in a combative posture and thrusting her fist in the air.

Art project "The muse has had it"

The fact that for decades hardly any female academics were honoured by the University was made the subject of the art contest BIG ART, which was jointly organised by the University of Vienna and the BIG in 2009. From all submissions, the project "The Muse has had it" by the artist Iris Andraschek won. Surrounded by more than 100 monuments and plaques dedicated to male academics and a single plaque dedicated to a woman, the intervention made of granite is now clearly visible in the Arcaded Courtyard.

Virtual exhibition "Frauen Leben Wissenschaft" (women live academia)

The exhibition boards serve to illustrate the different stages of an academic career.

Virtual exhibition "Frauen Leben Wissenschaft" (women live academia)

The exhibition "Frauen Leben Wissenschaft" (women live academia) in 2007 aimed at making the work of female academics at the University of Vienna visible and to let women – academics and students – talk about their working realities and perspectives.